Re: 1 Peter 1:2

From: Mike Adams (mikadams@ix.netcom.com)
Date: Sat Dec 16 1995 - 11:57:06 EST


You wrote:
>
>
>A friend and I are starting a study on 1 Peter. I ran into the following
in
>verse 2:
>
>kata prognwsin theou patros, which, I promptly (which is amazing in
itself)
>translated to, "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father"
>
>When I looked up prognwsis in BAGD, the same phrase was translated as,
>"according to the predestination of God the Father" and I was confused.
>
>After all, doesn't prognwsis come from the prefix pro and the root gnwsis
>and mean "to know before"? I see a definate difference between the
english
>word "foreknowledge" and the english word "predestination." Without
getting
>into a major eschatological debate, could anyone tell me if there is
>anything in the context that leads one to translate this phrase as
>"according to the predestination of God the Father"?
>
>Thanks in advance for the replies.
>
>Rick Brannan
>rick@logos.com
>
PROGNWSIS (and the verb form PROGINWSKW) are words which seem to have a
broad range of possible meanings. Look at the other appearances in the NT.

Acts 2:23: THi hWRISMENHi BOULHi KAI PROGNWSEI TOU QEOU,
(NIV): This man was handed over to you "by God's set purpose and
foreknowledge"

Acts 26:5 PROGINWSKONTES ME ANWQEN...
        (the Jews) (from the start, early childhood).
(NIV) They ^ have know me for a long time ^.
      
2 Pet 3:17 HUMEIS OUN, AGAPHTOI, PROGINWSKONTES FULASSESQE..
(NIV) Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your
guard...

I Pet 1:20 PROEGNWSMENOU MEN PRO KATABOLHS KOSMOU FANERWQENTOS DE
EP'ESXATOU TWN XRONWN DI'hUMAS.
(NIV) He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in
these last times for your sake.

Rom 8:29 hOTI hOUS PROEGNW, KAI PROWRISEN SUMMORFOUS THS EIKONOS TOU hUIOU.
(NIV) For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the
likeness of his Son...

Rom 11:2 OUK APWSATO hO QEOS TON LAON AUTOU hON PROEGNW.
(NIV) God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew.

In my antique Wigram's, definitions of PROGINWSKW range from: "to be
previously acquainted with" all the way to "to determine on beforehand" or
"to appoint as the subjects of future priveleges"

and for PROGNWSIS: "foreknowledge, prescience" to "purpose".

Regarding BAGD, in the two instances where PROGNWSIS appears, they might
comfortably insert their definition. I think, however, considering the
entire range of possible meanings, that "predestinate" is precariously
close to the edge.

Ellen Adams
Housewife and mom.



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat Apr 20 2002 - 15:37:34 EDT